Hayes & Yeading stadium saga nears conclusion

All systems go: Work is to restart on Hayes & Yeading's new home in Beaconsfield Road (Image: John-Patrick Fletcher)

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Building work is expected to resume on Hayes & Yeading’s Beaconsfield Road stadium before the end of the month.

United held discussions with a new contractor last week after consulting lawyers over their ongoing dispute with the previous builders.

MC Contracting, who were originally assigned to the project, pulled out months ago and no work has been carried out since.

Hayes & Yeading chairman Tony O’Driscoll is in the United States on business, but the club are pushing forward with plans in his absence.

They are hopeful of returning to the ground for the start of next season, but are in discussions with the Football Conference over arrangements for 2014-15.

In order to start playing football at their new home in Beaconsfield Road, the ground must first meet the National Ground Grading Category B standard.

Home matches are currently being fulfilled at Woking FC’s Kingfield Stadium and another groundshare, be it with the Cards or another club, will be put in place as a contingency plan.

The Conference last season agreed that if the ground did not meet the grading requirements by the March 31 deadline, a mid-season move back to Hayes would be permitted.

United are working under the same scenario this year, however, the priority remains to get home as quickly as possible and hope to be ready for the big kick-off in August.

Hayes & Yeading press officer Tim Fuell confirmed: “We had discussions last week with various people at the Football Conference. They are fully aware of where we are with things and are fully supportive of what we’re trying to do.

“We are trying to do it the right way but we will of course need to have a Plan B in place just to cover all the bases.

“We can see what is achievable. It’s not just a case of getting the work done though, we’re having to plan ahead with things like getting safety certificates and ground sign-offs sorted. Come March 31 we will need to have some sort of groundshare agreement.

“When we get back to our ground, with the facilities that are planned, we will be a force to be reckoned with. It’s just a case of getting there as quick as we can without overstretching ourselves.

“It will help us attract players and be better for income streams when we get back home.”

Meanwhile, the club are close to clinching a new naming-rights deal for their unfinished stadium.

Previous sponsor Sharda Glass, which signed a deal with United in December 2012, went into administration in December and was bought by Consensus Capital Private Equity Ltd.